FEATURED POST
Our weekly chat with the eliminated team from "The Amazing Race"
"The Amazing Race" ended with tears and hugs in a Dutch field this week, as professional poker players Maria Ho and Tiffany Michelle made the game-ending decision to pull out of a calamitous, golf-centric Detour. ("We never wanted to say the word ‘quit,'" Michelle says.) We spoke with the team about their tactical decisions, competing as an all-girl team, and a few of the things they missed most about home. (Think: latte.)
Video: See clips from the show | Also: See the fan site
MSN TV: Watching that final episode must have been absolute torture.
Maria: There were just as many tears shed watching the episode as there had been during it.
Looking back now, would you have strategized differently?
Tiffany: We spent three hours going back and forth between the two Detours. We felt like usually there's a physical challenge and there's one that's more of a mental challenge. We were surprised that both challenges had to do with strength.
Maria: We decided to go with the dance, since it seemed like the less physically demanding of the two -- but with the carnival bell, we realized it was also going to be physically demanding. There's a certain technique to ringing the bell. You need a certain amount of physical strength to do it. We tried 72 times. It was obvious we could not complete it. And by the time we went to [the golfing Detour], the wind was going 35 miles per hour in the opposite direction.
Do you feel it was unfair to an all-female team?
Maria: We don't want to dwell on the fact that it might have been unfair to women.
Tiffany: We just wished we could have lost on the mat -- not because we didn't finish something. We did every other thing that every single other team did. I rowed the same boat that Big Easy did. If we could have even finished on the mat three hours behind, we would have been happier.
What were you feeling when Phil went out to meet you on the field?
Tiffany: We just knew we had nothing, so there was some peace in the surrender.
That must have been your lowest moment on the Race.
Maria: Obviously that was the hardest moment. The episode did a really good job of showing how difficult it was.
Tiffany: I don't think you get a sense that we were there for three hours. It's only a one-hour episode.
For all the struggle, you proved that as a team, you were going to stay tight through the end.
Tiffany: We're 100% each other's supporters. We're going after the same magazine covers and jobs and endorsement deals, but if Maria wins out over me, I'm still rooting for her. Too often women are seen as bitchy or catty. It's unfortunate that there aren't more female-friendship role models out there.
What did you miss that you were happy to return home to?
Maria: It was definitely the food. When we were in Vietnam, we saw a Pizza Hut, and we were, like, "Oh, my God -- a Pizza Hut!" But you're only allotted so much money for each leg of the race, and we were trying to conserve.
Tiffany: We had a list of what we wanted.
Maria: And the Starbucks. It was hard to be in so many airports and see a Starbucks, and all you want is a vanilla latte, but you can't spend the money.
Happy happy to a former Richard Nixon screenwriter-turned-nerd icon
Just to reiterate the guidelines before unveiling today's honoree, pre-requisites for eligibility are simple: You must be instantly familiar to more than several thousand people (not including your Facebook friends), have experienced a pronounced period of your stardom via the small-screen and be either genuinely awesome or a really easy target for needless mockery.
So without further reconciliation with neighboring Native Americans in honor of T-Giving, we'd like to wish an intellectually divine 65th to:
BEN STEIN
How does one transition from speechwriting for the maligned Richard Nixon to becoming the unexpected embodiment of geek-chic? Starting off your pop-culture career with a memorable bit part in iconic teen flick "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" ("Bueller, Bueller...") doesn't hurt. Nor does most of its audience having missed the whole Vietnam/Watergate/impeachment mess. More than any other TV nerd in the last quarter-century (sorry, Paul Pfeiffer) Stein and his deadpan combination of cerebral knowledge and bone-dry wit have come to represent the face of archetypal dorkism. And even more than Huey Lewis, made it hip to be square. He can also theoretically be argued as the man who gave Jimmy Kimmel, co-host of Comedy Central's semi-classic game show "Win Ben Stein's Money," his launching pad to future late-night success. But, like Stein's relationship with Nixon, we can forgive him for that.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Promiscuous "Night Court" attorney John Laroquette (apologies to his oft-overlooked, eponymous sitcom), "Married With Children" vixen Christina Applegate and overgrown "Entourage" sneaker-addict Jerry Ferrara (aka the unfortunately dubbed Turtle)
With ensemble shows all the rage, here's a quartet of our favorite current funny side-players
So it is with much enthusiasm and grateful appreciation that we acknowledge TV's comedic primetime performers who may not get top-billing on their presently running network shows, but are as—if not more—vital to their programs' laughter ratio than their higher-paid co-stars.
MANNY DELGADO ("MODERN FAMILY")
By turns precocious and prematurely gentlemanly, Ed O'Neill's fictional stepson (as played by the alarmingly credentialed Rico Rodriguez) Manny is, apart from maybe Jesse Tyler Ferguson's portrayal of neurotic newbie gay parent Mitchell, hands down the show's funniest single character. Although it's hard to tell whether his hysterical semi-incestuous crush on teen-relative-by-blood Hayley is made more or less creepy when discovering that the actress who portrays her inexplicably turned 19 yesterday. But hey, happy belated TV Buzz Celebrity Birthday of the Day Sarah!
ANDY DWYER ("PARKS AND RECREATION")
While casting Chris Pratt as lovesick ne'er-do-well Andy seemed at first like a classic case of "actually really hunky guy growing a scruffy beard and channeling his outer jock to reach inner thespian," it quickly revealed itself as a genius find. Whether gleefully shining shoes for local government officials, getting buried underneath construction dirt in an abandoned ditch or appearing naked and vulnerable at Rashida Jones' doorstep, Andy has emerged as the dependable, lovable "Parks" goofball we all assumed Amy Poehler's Leslie would initially be.
ANDY BERNARD ("THE OFFICE")
Between the hilariously oblivious-but-well-intentioned Dwyer on "Parks" and Ed Helms' brother in bewitching cluelesness on "The Office," looks like we might just have a little crossover spinoff called "Andy and Andy" on our hands. Wait, why does that sound so familiar? Anyhow, all you TV Buzz devotees have heard plenty about my concerns over diminishing returns on this season of "The Office." But if there's two things I've gathered from reader feedback, it's that: A. Man, you guys really are on the fence about me, and B. It's unanimously understood that, as Jim and Pam drift off into cumbersome domestic terrain and Michael and Dwight continue to do the most within their limited personas, Andy Bernard is the character evolving most endearingly down the path of absurdism. There may not have been a funnier moment anywhere this year than his aspiring a cappella alter ego tunelessly, compulsively reciting the businesses off a local building registry.
SUE SYLVESTER ("GLEE")
As played by the always top-notch Jane Lynch, cheerleading coach/local news star Sue Sylvester is like an evil cross between Chris Lilley's attention-starved drama teacher Mr. G on "Summer Heights High" and every teenager's worst memory of their tyrannical, sexually ambiguous gym teacher. And clearly the most refined comedic presence on a show that otherwise leans with disproportionate favor toward the song-and-dance expertise of its predominantly youthful cast. Although clearly she's begun to resonate with the show's adolescent viewers, given her character's surprising appearance in a series of viral Xbox ads.
Donny Osmond wins 'Dancing With the Stars'
By Kate Mulcrone Special to MSN TV
We have crowned our champion! And it was a bit of a surprise for everyone. Donny Osmond outlasted every other man running to become the ninth celebrity to take home the mirror ball trophy on "Dancing With the Stars." Although he finished 13 points behind Mya on the judges' dance card, the audience votes made all the difference. Donny has been the consummate entertainer, and his charm and grace make him an ideal champion. Bravo!
Last Night on TV: Watch recaps | Photos: View the Season 9 gallery
Mya was the frontrunner for almost the entire competition, and she has nothing to be embarrassed about. She gave so many thrilling performances, and really spurred her fellow celebrities on by setting the bar so high.
Superfans: "Dancing With the Stars" fan site | Video: Watch "DWTS" clips and more
The crowd seemed to be pulling for Kelly; they were chanting her name during her waltz. But, in the end, popular support alone couldn't close the gap between her score and Donny's. Kelly ended up finishing third. She came such a long way this season that it was hard to watch her go. Tom Bergeron broke character for a moment to tell Kelly how much he looked forward to seeing her dance.
In case you're just tuning in, here's how our three stars did in the final week of competition:
Her smoky-eyed tango brought the crowd to its feet and the judges to their knees! Kelly was confident, elegant and exceeded everyone's expectations with her first routine. Unfortunately, her timing was a little off in the "mega mix challenge," which had all three finalists performing the same choreography out on the floor. Kelly's freestyle routine somehow managed to encapsulate everything I love about her. She was spunky, her footwork was spot on and she looked like she was having the time of her life. Unfortunately, she took a spill.
For the finale Kelly reprised her Week 1 waltz, and the crowd went wild. The judges ranked her third, which added 26 points to her score.
Both her rock 'n' roll paso doble and her fantastic performance in the "mega mix challenge" earned her perfect 30s. Her "Hairspray"-inspired freestyle dance, on the other hand, just didn't come together. Mya and Dmitry seemed to be dancing next to each other rather than together. Still, Mya's overall effort was formidable, and she finished the night at the top of the leaderboard.
Mya and Dmitry danced their wild and crazy jive for the silver, and it was just as impressive the second time around.
Donny Osmond
His peppy, hippy cha-cha was just the sort of entertaining routine that got him this far in the competition, and he more than held his own in the "mega mix challenge." Len actually said that Donny could have been one of the professionals out on the floor! Donny scored a perfect 30 in the freestyle round with his larger-than-life, Broadway-style routine. He truly is the consummate entertainer!
Donny and Kim chose to give an encore performance of their fantastic Argentine tango, and the judges ranked them number one!
Sound off: "DWTS" message boards
Today, a certain small- and big-screen actress enters a "Grey" area of her life
Just to reiterate the guidelines before unveiling today's honoree, pre-requisites for eligibility are simple: You must be instantly familiar to more than several thousand people (not including your Facebook friends), have experienced a pronounced period of your stardom via the small-screen and be either genuinely awesome or a really easy target for needless mockery.
So without further incantations of the Macarena, we'd like to wish a happy wrong-side-of-30 to:
KATHERINE HEIGL
Who knew that when mama Heigl (no relation to Mama Cass) squeezed out a bundle of gooey innocence on Nov. 24, 1978 that, three-plus-decades later, her precious infant would mature into a chain-smoking, self-congratulatory, holier-than-thou diva with a penchant for middling romantic comedies? But of course, Katherine the Grating first entered America's living rooms as crazy ol' Dr. Izzie on the spectacularly unwatchable medical drama, "Grey's Anatomy." (And we were all like, "Hey, how did you get in here lady? This is why we have the Slomin's Shield.") From there, she rocketed to instant big-screen stardom in "Knocked Up," followed by immediate lack of gratitude via lashing out about the film's sexist undertones (because, ya know, playing the millionth variation on a wedding-crazed fembot in "27 Dresses" made enormous strides for womankind). However, who can forget that Dr. Stevens initially entered our consciousness in 1994's classic, "Neurotic French giant protects overdevloped, overage daughter from unseemly opposite-sex advances tale," "My Father the Hero"? And lest you think her mildly tainted public persona (and nicotine-stained teeth) have prevented her from receiving primo scripts, then what is she doing in an upcoming comedy co-starring Tom Selleck and Martin Mull? Eh? Eh? Oh.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Hollywood royalty Colin Hanks and Clinton-era, tawdry-news-broadcast semi-star Linda Tripp
Will Kelly Osbourne's dance floor spill be her downfall?
By Kate Mulcrone Special to MSN TV
Oh, what a season it's been. The first night of the "Dancing With the Stars" finale also had its ups and downs. Kelly opened the show with a beautiful tango only to fall down -- literally -- in the freestyle round. (She danced bravely on.) Donny seems to have recovered from last week's disastrous waltz and turned in an absolutely stunning performance in the freestyle round. Mya, our frontrunner, was only three points away from a perfect score.
Last Night on TV: Watch recaps | Photos: View the Season 9 gallery
The show also introduced its first-ever "mega mix challenge," which had all three finalists dancing the samba, the Viennese waltz and the jive at the same time. All three finalists turned in stellar performances, and the judges took far longer to deliberate than usual. In the end, Mya won the round. And she leads the scoreboard going into the finals.
Superfans: "Dancing With the Stars" fan site | Video: Watch "DWTS" clips and more
It's finale week, so I'm sure you want all the dirty details. Here's what happened out on the floor:
Like many of Kelly's routines, her tango started out a little bumpy and ended up sizzling. She and Louis moved together better than they ever had before, and Kelly's footwork was fantastic. She also mastered the smoky-eyed tango stare that's so critical to a successful turn on the floor.
Unfortunately, Kelly's timing was a little off in the "mega mix challenge." She still did extremely well. Both Bruno and Carrie Ann praised her waltz. But someone had to come in third, and tonight it was Kelly.
Kelly's freestyle routine somehow managed to encapsulate everything I love about her. So what if she fell down? She was spunky, her footwork was spot on and she looked like she was having the time of her life. Of course, the fall did adversely affect her score.
Tango: 26/30
Mega mix: 26/30
Freestyle: 24/30
Total: 76/90
Her rock 'n' roll paso doble was full of personality. It was big and brash and impossible to dislike. Mya and Dmitry really outdid themselves with the choreography. The routine was one of the most difficult I've seen on this show to date. Lucky for them, the risk paid off: They got a perfect score.
Mya tore it up during the mega mix challenge. Her samba, especially, was absolutely electric. It really came as no surprise that she came in first.
Her "Hairspray"-inspired freestyle dance was full of energy (actually, it looked exhausting) and had some lifts that drew genuine gasps from the crowd. Somehow, though, the routine just didn't come together. Mya and Dmitry seemed to be dancing next to each other rather than together.
Paso doble: 30/30
Mega mix: 30/30
Freestyle: 27/30
Total: 87/90
Donny sure knows how to ham it up on the floor. Usually his cheesy facial expressions are accompanied by some truly awful bump and grind action, but not in this case. Donny's peppy, hippy cha-cha was just the sort of entertaining routine that got him this far in the competition.
Donny more than held his own in the "mega mix challenge." Len actually said that he could have been one of the professionals out on the floor! He took second place.
In the freestyle round, Donny and Kym risked Len's ire by opening with props -- a feather boa and a top hat. Of course, Donny also brought his A-game. Len called the routine a "showstopper," and he wasn't wrong. It was a larger than life Broadway-style dance that showed Donny at his absolute best and earned him a perfect 30.
Cha-cha: 27/30
Mega mix: 28/30
Freestyle: 30/30
Total: 85/90
The Scorecard
Who won the judges: Mya
Who won the audience: Donny Osmond
Who didn't cut it: Kelly Osbourne
Sound off: "DWTS" message boards
"Dancing With the Stars" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Cumpleanos feliz to the most famous Hannah since that guy who worked with Barbera
Just to reiterate the guidelines before unveiling today's honoree (although this article's sub-headline makes it pretty transparent), pre-requisites for eligibility are simple: You must be instantly familiar to more than several thousand people (not including your Facebook friends), have experienced a pronounced period of your stardom via the small-screen and be either genuinely awesome or a really easy target for needless mockery.
So without further canoodling with fabulous-looking multi-millionaires, we'd like to wish a happy, Kip Winger-sized, "She's only 17" (bear that in mind, perverts) to:
MILEY CYRUS
It's been a tough transition from precocious adolescent to budding young woman for the artist occasionally known as Hannah Montana. The progeny of "Achy Breaky" dad Billy Ray Cyrus has endured scandals around racy photographs (both professionally and more privately captured); just recently was availed of legal charges for racially insensitive images of she and her friends (put down the digital cameras already famous people!); participated in an embarrassing performance alongside superiorly talented Sheryl Crow during VH1's "Divas" special; and, most recently and tragically, lost one of her tour-bus drivers during a horrible accident. But alas, she's not even old enough to vote but has more money than small-market sports teams, seems to have plenty of luck scoring one hunky Hollywood paramour after another and will probably have at least another three years of relative happiness before spiralling down the rabbit hole of lost childhood and crippling narcotics addiction. "Party In The U.S.A," indeed.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Steve Harvey and "Hollywood Squares" humor-desecrator Bruce Vilanch
After an up-and-down season, Larry delivered 50 minutes nearly as iconic as any 'Seinfeld'
As a critic setting out to deconstruct a series like "Curb Your Enthusiasm," you can feel a bit in over your head. At the end of the day's programming, it's hard not to sense that Larry David possess an intelligence and talent that transcends whatever minor understanding you fancy having developed about the subtleties of his show. And at a certain point, it can be freeing to give yourself over to that notion, just suspend disbelief, assume the man knows what he's doing and enjoy the ride. It's like feeling confident that a driver's ed instructor possesses mysterious familiarity with that wacky double-pedal system in his instructional vehicle. Watching an epic comedic masterwork like the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" Season 7 finale, I was most definitely riding shotgun in the Larry David comedy caravan.
And as for my debated assertion last week that the eruption of his slow-revealed "Seinfeld" arc may have adversely affected my experience with he and Jerry's legendary, surname-de-plumed sitcom, I have a confession to make: I may have, fittingly, been acting a bit neurotic about the whole thing.
Last night's season finale was remarkable. First and foremost, it somehow provided closure on the "Seinfeld" legacy (which, in truth, did always feel abbreviated by both Larry's Season 8 departure and an overly ambitious last episode that suffered from the very fevered anticipation this entire arc has vivisected with satirical spite). But simultaneously, it also restored purpose to "Curb" amidst an occasionally declining slate of storylines. It was as if, much like fictional Larry entertained the notion of reuniting Jerry and co. to become closer with Cheryl, real-life Larry only absorbed the burden of another sitcom so that he could eventually (in his own painstakingly gradual, pressure-free way) find closure on his relationship with "Seinfeld."
There was simply and endless bounty to take in, whether it was (spoiler alert!): Larry finally coming totally clean about his symbiosis with George; Jerry gleefully toying with Larry's delicate psyche by playing both curmudgeonly accomplice and childish devil's advocate; Jason Alexander sending up his reputation for off-camera snobbishness (taking the baton from Michael Richards' self-annihilation the previous week); it being very quickly reinforced for dissatisfied, season-long viewers that the faux-"Seinfeld" reunion was always b-plot to Larry and Cheryl finding their way back to one another; still being given nearly a third an episode's worth of actual, filmed "Seinfeld" narrative; or Larry ending his romance with Cheryl on a note that, like the classic sitcoms that always secretly inspired he and Jerry, was acidic and unsentimental.
And if this does prove to be the absolute, final word on these now forever-intertwined, unparalleled comedic franchises, we can theoretically quibble about not enough Susie, the absence of Leon, too much Mocha Joe or a suddenly MIA Marty Funkhauser. But they've all had their iconic "Curb" moments. For one rare near-hour of television, we finally got the real Larry David. Sort of. Maybe.
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